Dynamics of Flow

Have you ever had one of those rudderless weeks when direction seems random, solid ground a far-off illusion? Not that this is necessarily bad. Floating without apparent destination can be extremely relaxing for a spell. I like to think of it as living “dynamic flow.”

It’s easy to get caught up in modernity’s insistence on things happening in real-time, but the fact is some things require patience. Some things are indeed better with patience. Remember the sweet surprise of getting a love letter in your mailbox?

Joy is recognizing that nothing is ever a dead end. We are constantly in fluid motion, navigating, re-setting the coordinates, making corrections according to the winds. Even if we appear to drift off course, wherever we find ourselves right now is the fruition of one set of circumstances and also the seed of something just about to begin. It takes courage to relax in the midst of not-knowing.

If you worry too much about the destination, you may miss the present moment. This is exactly what you cultivate in contemplative practice–like Ashtanga yoga or Shamatha sitting meditation. You practice recognizing the presence of something other than the wandering, greedy, impatient flow of thoughts that urge us on to the next event. Why not give it a rest?

You’ll get there soon enough, and meanwhile, might as well enjoy the ride…